The Aboveground People Mover at Houston Intercontinental Airport

The City of Houston Department of Aviation and Continental Airlines reached an agreement in 1996 for Continental to expand its current 32 gate operation at Houston Intercontinental Airport's Terminal C with 20 gates in Terminal B. The terms of this agreement defined the implementation of an automated people mover interconnecting Terminals B and C as a fundamental part of this expansion. This will entail the relocation of other airlines from Terminal B into Terminal A, and subsequent expansion of Continental Airlines into Terminal B in two stages: the first stage will involve expansion into two flight stations with expansion into the other two flight stations in a second stage approximately one year later. This automated Aboveground People Mover (APM) system will be implemented as a secure system, i.e., all riders will have previously cleared security. Interim bus operations will be utilized to provide service until the completion of the APM implementation. Prior to the agreement reached by the City of Houston Department of Aviation and Continental Airlines, a significant planning effort was conducted in which previous concepts were assessed; numerous alternative APM alignments and operational configurations were developed, analyzed and evaluated; and a preferred alternative was identified. This paper provides an overview of some of the planning considerations and analyses that led to the identification of the preferred alternative and the expandability of the initial APM system.